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Emily Dickinson
Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, into a prominent family with strong ties to its community. After studying at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she briefly attended the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Evidence suggests that Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Considered an eccentric by locals, she developed a penchant for white clothing and was known for her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, to even leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most friendships between her and others depended entirely upon correspondence. While Dickinson was a prolific poet, only 10 of her nearly 1,800 poems were published during her lifetime. The poems published then were usually edited significantly to fit conventional poetic rules. Her poems were unique to her era. They contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.(Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends. |
Songbooks, Arrangements and/or Media
Displaying 1-6 of 6 items.
Aaron Copland : Art Songs and Arias - Medium Voice This collection of 24 songs and arias draws on works that span the composer's lifetime, including his early experimental and mature Americana periods. Contents include: Four Early Songs, Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson, arias from The Tender Land and The Second Hurricane, and more. Songlist: Alone, Dirge in Woods, Old Poem, Pastorale, Poet's Song, Vocalise, Night, A Summer Vacation, My Heart Is in the East, Nature, the gentlest mother, There came a wind like a bugle, Why do they shut me out of Heaven?, The world feels dusty, Heart, we will forget him, Dear March, come in!, Sleep is supposed to be, When they come back, I felt a funeral in my brain, I've heard an organ talk sometimes, Going to Heaven!, The Chariot, Ma's Song from The Tender Land, Fat's Song from The Second Hurricane, Gyp's Song from The Second Hurricane 
Emma Lou Diemer : Hope Is the Thing: An Emily Dickinson Suite This five-movement major addition to the repertoire for women's chorus has widely differing voicings and textures. All the movements use Emily Dickinson's domestic images--bees, birds, balls of yarn--to express hopes and fears relating to the future and the past. Movement 1, 2, 4 and 5 are accompanied, Movement 3 is A Cappella. Songlist: Hope Is the Thing With Feathers, A Bird Came Down The Walk, My Life Closed Twice Before Its Close, If You Were Coming In The Fall, Some Things That Fly There Be
Gwyneth Walker : Musical Settings of the Poems of Emily Dickinson The poetry of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) is especially appealing due to the wide range of topics, diversity of mood and peculiar imagination of the poet. The writings are reflective, passionate, witty, sensuous, observant and ridiculously humorous. Her heart soars. Her mind pokes fun! Emily was truly a New Englander. Her poems are understated and compact. Her love of Nature focuses on small things- birds, bees, meadows and a pond.
Gwyneth Walker : Musical Settings of the Poems of Emily Dickinson The poetry of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) is especially appealing due to the wide range of topics, diversity of mood and peculiar imagination of the poet. The writings are reflective, passionate, witty, sensuous, observant, and ridiculously humorous. Her heart soars. Her mind pokes fun! Emily was truly a New Englander. Her poems are understated and compact. Her love of Nature focuses on small things- birds, bees, meadows and a pond.In creating the musical settings, the composer (herself a New Englander) endeavored to capture the spirit of the poetry, and of the poet, with songs diverse in style, and concise in form. Everything from romance to frogs is explored, briefly.Great delight is taken in creating musical translations of the colorful imagery: the letters floating off on the breeze ("My Letter to the World"); the shimmering moonlight ("The Moon and the Sea"); a frog croaking in a bog ("The Frog in the Bog"); hopeful birds hopping about ("Hope" with Feathers"); the boat of passion riding the waves and then settling into its mooring ("Passion"); the ship's cannon firing in celebration ("Joy"); and the tiniest, lightest gifts of Nature ("All I Have to Bring"). These are the poet's Letters to the World. She lived as a recluse, yet her words took flight-traveling the universe as messengers of the soul. Duration: 14:00
Judith Weir : Good Morning, Midnight This work takes its name from a poem by Emily Dickinson and includes 5 verses by different poets. Composed for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble.
Ronald Perera : Five Summer Songs The music in Perera's Five Summer Songs shows off both the singer's range and the pianist's ability. This 2020 version is newly engraved, and the poems are by Emily Dickinson. Songlist: New Feet within My Garden Go, South Winds Jostle Them, I Know a Place, To Make a Prairie, The One that Could Repeat the Summer Day |
Displaying 1-33 of 33 items.
Emily Dickinson's springtime text comes alive in this bright and graceful setting for treble voices. Beginning in unison and gradually blossoming to three voice parts, this song features a flowing piano accompaniment that never doubles but always supports the singers. An artful, yet accessible choice for treble choirs of distinction.
Arranger: James Bowyer | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
The Saddest Noise is a setting of Emily Dickinson's poem The Saddest Noise, the Sweetest Noise. It begins the story of The Lost Birds in spring: the season of birth and renewal, and a time of year when bird songs flood the skies. But what is ordinarily a joyous sound is now riddled with sorrow, as the songs of the remaining birds remind us of the ones we've already lost.
Arranger: Christopher Tin | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
The whimsical poem by Emily Dickinson comes to life, complete with the buzzing of the bee.
Composer: Charles K Hoag | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson's evocative poem charts the progress of an unspecified journey, although the young poet (only 23 years old at the time of writing) almost certainly had the journey of life itself in mind. The music reflects this idea by beginning with the solo cello and gradually increasing in volume and intensity until the final measures. (2:40)
Composer: Frank DeWald | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
These three choral vignettes are inspired by the whimsical poetry of Emily Dickinson. All three pieces require a free play of fancy and imagination. Using extended, aleatoric passages, non-metrical and free harmonic writing, directors and singers are given a pallet to create a piece that will be new every time it is performed.
Composer: Lee Kesselman | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
The 2013 Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission featuring timely and poignant text by Emily Dickinson. The poems express the extreme complexity of Beauty, even in the most simple of occurrances. A clear and purposeful melody surrounded by magnificent vocal counterpoint. A good challenge for women's choruses.
Composer: Alice Parker | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Build good vocal and performance skills with this delightful set of songs based on the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Colorful imagery and clever touches abound in these short selections for younger treble choirs. Songs include: I'm Nobody, A Narrow Fellow in the Grass, The Cricket Sang. Total Duration: ca. 8:15.
Composer: Brian Holmes | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
This playfully polyphonic piece, composed in a minor key, features a text by Emily Dickinson and lively music reminiscent of the Classical era. An agile piano accompaniment and satisfying vocal parts that work well together make it a tasty treat to perform. Great for contests!
Composer: Ruth Morris Gray | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Scored for a cappella mixed chorus with divisi, this setting of the adapted Emily Dickinson text would work especially well as a commencement anthem - whether in an auditorium, on an athletic field, or in a gymnasium. This piece is part of the Songs for the World Series edited by Andre de Quadros. Difficulty Level: Medium Advanced Adult.
Composer: Kenneth Dake | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Heart, We Will Forget Him is one movement from Michael Hennagin's Three Emily Dickinson Songs. The imagery of Dickinson's poem comes to life through Hennagin's thoughtful writing. The piano truly acts as its own voice, supporting and responding to the vocal writing. A stunning option for your women's chorus.
Arranger: Michael Hennagin | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson Performed By: Missouri State University Women's Chorus
Emily Dickinson's haunting poetry is beautifully set over a gently-arpeggiated piano accompaniment. Ideal for developing ensembles working on blend and phrasing. Performance Time: Approx. 3:05.
Composer: Laura Farnell | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson's poem on hope has wings of its own, but now, it also has a song. The words lift right off the page, encouraged with melody and catapulted with harmony. Excellent for high school, college and community choirs, yet its dedication alerts you that it will fit in the sacred space as well. Medium.
Composer: Debra Scroggins | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Broadway composer Andrew Lippa composed this work for the Brooklyn Youth Chorus to a text by Emily Dickinson. The uplifting message unfolds above an accompaniment that alternates between flowing lines and stately chords. Duration: ca. 5:00.
Composer: Andrew Lippa | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
This beautiful treble choral features a lyrical melody supported by an expressive piano accompaniment. The perfect setting of the famous text, "Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul."
Arranger: Bruce W. Tippette
Commissioned by the Sing a Mile High Choral Festival and dedicated to those who face cancer with bravery and grace, this inspirational setting of the Emily Dickinson text is a moving tribute that will lift up singers and listeners with its powerful message.
Composer: Sean Ivory | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson's poem on the fragility of nature, as well as our own hand in its destruction, finds a elegiac tone in this original piece from Baba Yetu composer Christopher Tin. Palo Alto High School, Tin's alma mater, commissioned this deeply melodic composition in celebration of their centennial in 2018.
Composer: Christopher Tin | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
This textured work of art is built on a captivating melodic theme that echoes and overlaps through the voices and an optional instrumental obbligato. Emily Dickinson's words are truly inspiring. There is simply no better choice for three-part choirs. Visit alfred.com/choralparts to download the free violin part. This title is available in SmartMusic.
Arranger: Ruth Morris Gray
I Shall Not See the Shadows is based on Christina Rossetti's poem When I Am Dead My Dearest. It portrays death at its most indifferent--unnoticed, unheralded, unremembered. It also suggests that forgetting is a form of extinction, too--that the finality of species lies not in the death of its last remaining members, but in the failure to preserve their memory.
This Emily Dickinson poem illuminates themes of generosity and selflessness. It asks us to think of others before ourselves, encouraging us to reflect the need in today's society for humility and thoughtfulness. The melody weaves in and out of the piano line creating a contemporary feel.
Composer: Matthew Emery | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
A gentle and sensitive poem by Emily Dickinson, evoking the wait for a love's return, is tenderly shaded by DeWald's flowing melodies and graceful harmonies. With piano and French horn (or cello).
Arranger: Frank K. DeWald | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
This setting of an Emily Dickinson text explores the bittersweet quality of those few summer-like days in what should be fall, comparing them to the bread and wine of the communion service. The music explores the full palette of choral expression, with dramatic contrasts in dynamic range and vocal textures. Duration: ca. 7:30.
Composer: John Burge | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
A sensitive, beautifully melodic setting of a meaningful interesting poem by Emily Dickinson. Renders a work of rare loveliness for more advanced women's choirs. Requires an accomplished oboist. This is a work of sophistication and depth for important concerts or festivals.ÊJo-Michael Scheibe Choral Series.
Composer: Daniel J. Hall | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Adapted from Love Reckons by Itself Alone, this work was originally commissioned by ASHINAGA for the At Home in the World concerts. Scored for unaccompanied SATB Choir, the work is a setting of a poem by Emily Dickinson and lasts around 7 minutes.
Composer: Tarik O'Regan | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
This work composed by Tarik O'Regan for was commissioned by Ashinaga for the At Home in the World concerts to a set of three poems by Richard Ntiru, Tsuboi Shigeji and Emily Dickinson. The piece received its world premiere in 2015 at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York, USA.
Composer: Tarik O'Regan | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
As this piece develops, gorgeous lines ebb, flow, and entwine, creating a lush tapestry of sound. Mature choirs will embrace the largely polyphonic texture and savor the meaningful poetry. A striking concert selection that is also worthy of adjudication and contest performances.
Arranger: Ruth Morris Gray
Tracing words by Emily Dickinson, this poetic selection artfully captures the melancholy passing of a season and feelings of irretrievable time gone by. An accompanying horn or viola contributes an autumnal color to the women's chorus. With piano.
Arranger: Frank K. DeWald | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Originally scored for three-part mixed chours, here Tom Shelton sets the Emily Dickinson text for SSA chorus and piano. Try it during American music month. Difficulty Level: Medium Middle School, High School or Easy Adult.
Composer: Tom Shelton | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
A whimsical poem by Emily Dickinson comes to sparkling life. The piano adds much color to the soaring vocal lines. Available for SATB, SSAA, and now arranged for male voices at the request of Jonathan Palant, artistic director of the Turtle Creek Chorale.
Composer: David N Childs | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Here is a charming setting of a poem by Emily Dickinson which depicts the first robin of spring in a most delightful way. Especially appropriate for younger choirs, the dancing rhythms of the piano accompaniment combine with the clear, ringing treble melodies for a joyful celebration of the season! Duration: ca. 2:20.
Composer: Neil Ginsberg | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Based on words by Emily Dickinson, this charming springtime piece finds delight in nature's mysteries. A flowing piano accompaniment supports two treble voice parts---just right for emerging harmony singers. Invite a flute player to add the delicate obbligato.
Arranger: Mary Donnelly | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Based on a poem by Emily Dickinson, this original work captures the essence of a snow-covered rural landscape through beautiful textual imagery and skillful writing. An excellent introduction to part singing for developing choirs! Available separately: 2-Part, 3-Part Mixed, VoiceTrax CD. Duration: ca. 2:30.
Composer: Audrey Snyder | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
Commissioned for Dr. Sharon Hansen and the Milwaukee Choral Artists' 10th anniversary, this three-movement set is suitable for only the very best collegiate and professional women's choirs. The accompaniment requires an accomplished pianist, and only the most mature singers will be able to handle the vocal demands of the choral writing and the emotional demands of the poetry. For those that can, though, the rewards are tremendous.
Composer: George L Mabry | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
This beautiful and thought provoking text by Emily Dickinson is a wonderful vehicle for poetry discussions. A lush piano accompaniment and fluid vocal lines will shine through in your choral concert
Composer: John Leavitt | Poetry By: Emily Dickinson
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